Twelve
by Karisma Black
Summary: Roughly based off of the fairy tale 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses', this story is about a destiny set in stone.. a destiny so strong, that even the faeries could not create a similar magic.. it is the story of Twelve.
1. Prologue

(Author's Note: I've ready plenty of remakes of fairy tales, short stories that tell the sides of the villains and ones that show different perspectives. Upon my recent reading of a remake of the 'Twelve Dancing Princesses' story, which was not too heavily changed from it's original story, I have been inspired to write this, about the princesses and their unique story. This is unlike anything I have ever done, so please bear with me as it is a little confusing, I am sure. Just for referance, the princesses are named in order of their birth, A-L, to keep the confusion straight a bit. Yes, I know the prologue might be a bit short. Anyways, enjoy.)

Prologue - Castle Seress, Mastarian Kingdom

The night was something that the entire kingdom would remember as something that began, as something that awoke them from their blissful peace of day to day work.

The weather was something that the faeries must have been playing with that day, as the morning was hot, unlike any heat the land had faced, and then, when midday approached, it poured rain unlike any downpour had ever been, until it lightened into a drizzle which kissed the leaves of the trees with it's misty droplets.

The kingdom had been at peace for a good five years, and the land had grown prosperous under the reign of the gentle King Thirsh and his lovely, yet fragile wife, Queen Celestia. Nine months ago, the king and queen had made a decision. A decision that would change the course of history for their years to come.

They had decided, since the peace of the kingdom was foretold to stretch for a good many years, they decided to have a child. An heir to gain the crown and lead the land through more prosperous years after they had grown old and weary.

Their decision was something that not even they knew the impact of. For the decision to bring one child into the world, fueled a magic deeper than any of the faeries could ever cast.

It set a destiny into place, a destiny that would cause the kingdom many sorrows and joys. Many threads of life would become entangled with this family's now that the birth of their child was approaching.

And with the cry of a newborn princess, and the bells chiming the Crown Princess' birth, the family's destiny was set in stone. There would not be one princess, but twelve... 


	2. Adelaide, the First

(Author's Note: I received a review! This startled me, I wasn't sure if anyone would catch onto this story, or enjoy it at all. I am very happy, and am inspired anew to continue. However this is the beginning, and it may be a little tough, so do bear with me as I get a feel for this story. Thanks.)---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
  
Adelaide's birth symbolized new beginnings for the entire kingdom, and there was a celebration that would outdo all others for the princess, about a week after her birth.

Draped in white cloth of the finest of make, the crown princess lay, dozing in a cradle before hundreds of people. King Thirsh was too busy making speeches and greeting guests to mingle much with his wife and child, and so Celestia was left to care for the newborn on her own.

No one bothered the new mother, much, as they realized that she was still weak from childbearing. Everyone was very aware how lucky that Celestia was to be alive; most queens of the realm died in childbirth. Delicate breeding in the royal families over the hundreds of years had produced a defect of the women being very fragile.

So, the young queen had not very much company for the evening. Not that she minded, however. She was still very new at being a mother. Celestia's own mother had sent her a long letter of advice, and there was a nursemaid nearby, just in case Celestia had need of someone to care for the child for any length of time.  
  
However, she hadn't needed the maid's services as of yet. Her own wonder at the delicate features and tiny hands of the young princess stunned the queen, and she had decided that she had seen nothing more beautiful.

The rest of the party went well, better than either of the royal parents had expected. There was not a guest that did not bring a gift, and there was quite a ceremony as the royal family opened the gifts. Thankfully, Adelaide slept through most of it.

On top of the thousands of presents received for the babe, several neighboring kingdoms had brought up the prospect of introducing their sons to Adelaide, once she was a little older. It was obvious the royal families saw the prospect of getting their son to rule the kingdom, but many saw the possibility of a great leader rising out of this child.

In any case, the party went well, and for the next few months, things went well. By the time Adelaide was able to do a few things on her own, the neighboring kingdoms had indeed brought their sons for playmates to the child.

So, she began to grow, as most children do, and she began to learn, and she began to change. By the time Adelaide's first birthday rolled around, she was a beautiful child. Her dark hair had melted away to leave a beautiful head of red hair, and stunning violet eyes.

Several months passed, without hinderance, and Celestia had finally given in to letting someone else to take care of her child. She had learned a lesson most mothers learn: children are a lot of work. Adelaide wasn't a hard child to take care of, but she was still only a child, and children will be children, they don't know any better.

However, this year and half year old child was not to be alone. The Queen was suddenly discovered as with child, approximately three months along. Adelaide was to have a sister.

And for the first time in her life that she could remember, Adelaide cried. 


	3. Beliarosa, the Second

(Author's Note: Yes, I know this is a short chapter. But it's short because of the time skip after this. Only the first two births are very significant, since Adelaide is the main character, and the others are only secondary. It gets better in the next chapter, I promise!)

  
No longer was Adelaide the baby of the family. The upcoming birth of the child grew closer, day by day, and Adelaide's misery would grow more and more.

Queen Celestia rarely had time for her daughter anymore. She was either too sick, or too busy preparing things for the child's birth. Adelaide found herself thrust into a corner like a forgotten toy for the moment, but however, she was not entirely forgotten.

There was one she could always count on. One who was more than her peer, her first true friend. His name was Jason. He was a prince from a neighboring kingdom who had been brought for a playmate.

However, Adelaide had become a fussy child, and lately, she would let no other children near her save for Jason. Most found it odd, but it was accepted, and they would play.

It was a rainy day when Beliarosa was born, and Adelaide no longer found herself in the spotlight. Despite the fact that Adelaide was the heir, Beliarosa was obviously special.

She was a beautiful child, but noisy, and very fussy, and Beliarosa wouldn't sit still for her own welcoming party. Despite that, her parents fawned over her like she was some treasure of gold, while Adelaide was thrust further into the background.

She didn't understand. She couldn't comprehend why her parent seemed to no longer love her and care for her. Only Jason mattered now. Only he cared. That's all she could think. She was almost a statue without him.

She no longer cared. At least, that's what the servants thought. Rumors were spread that Adelaide was possessed, that a demon had taken her soul, and that she was no longer herself.

No one believed the rumor, but it was still spread all the same. Adelaide wasn't ever the same. Her parents, after hearing that rumor, definitely paid more attention to her, but they were very preoccupied.

Adelaide simply longed now to understand. 


	4. Time of Death and Rebirth

(Author's Note: Yes, it's been a while, but I suddenly wanted to write this one. I might be getting back into this story a bit. I seem to have a bit of new inspiration. Anyways, enjoy. This chapter will simply fill the gap and allow the beginning of the intro to finish. The good parts will definitely be next. Beginnings are always rough for me. Anyways.. Enjoy!)

By the time Adelaide turned twelve years old, she had discovered how truly bewitching her family was. Always the smart child, and yet never thought of as much more than 'one of the princesses', she had discovered something that few dared to speak about.

Adelaide had an unquenchable curiosity that seemed to be renewed with every new story or tale that would emerge. However, this would be the time that she would discover something on her own.

She began to think that it was very odd, but slowly and gradually, one of her sisters would be born in a different month. Each sister had her own month, never one of them falling in the month of another's birth.

Her curiosity grew, however, and because of this observation, she concluded that her mother would have a twelfth child, and she predicted that it would be born in June.

And lo and behold, shortly after Kairos, the Eleventh's birth in September, the Queen was discovered to be pregnant once more. Adelaide was used to this by now. After Beliarosa, things gradually became more comfortable with her, and the crown princess grew comfortable with the fact that she had sisters.

  
But all was not well. The June day was hot, and locks of her red-gold clung to her face with the perspiration and humidity. Adelaide could not focus on her studies; her mother had gone into labor earlier in the morning, and despite her efforts, her tutor had insisted that they continue their work.

Adelaide was not thrilled with the fact that she still had to work when she was waiting to see her new sibling. Secretly, she hoped that somehow the chain would break and that there'd be a brother. However, she told herself that even if it was a sister, she'd be just as special.

The paper was hard to write on and tore from the sweat from her palms, and she sighed as she had to start anew with a fresh sheet. "Please," she begged the aging older woman who was in charge of her studies. "Let me see Mother now!"

The gentle shake of the head sent Adelaide into a huff. Unable to do much else, she sent all of her effort into the sums she was working on, and she beamed proudly as she presented the sheet to the woman.

It was scrutinized for a long while, but eventually, Adelaide's paper was found to be correct, and her tutor decided that she had done enough for the day.

The chains of her books freed from her ankles, she practically tumbled down the tower stairs as she raced towards the Royal Chambers. As she approached, however, things were too quiet.

She slowed, her heart thumping in her chest from the run and from the pure fear that something had gone wrong. Was the baby alright? Was it ill? Why wasn't there any noise?

Questions raced though her head like wildfire, and she was unable to stop them, as more kept popping up. She moved closer to the door, swallowing hard as she reached for the wooden door handle. However, as she did, the door swung open from the inside, bowling her over.

She managed to regain her balance, staring wide eyed up at the one of the younger of the group of midwives that was supposed to be attending to her mother. Adelaide's eyes were questioning as she stared at the young midwife, but the woman did not seem to see her.

Instead, the midwife gestured to a page. "There needs to be a proclamation.. The Twelfth.. she's here.. but the Queen.." Adelaide did not need to hear further. The faint, tear-stained cheeks of the midwife and the tone of her voice as she spoke low to the page said everything that needed to be said.

And all at once, twelve voices, twelve souls, cried out in agony for their mother. 


	5. The Mourning After

(Author's Note: This chapter isn't as long as I'd like it to be, but it really ties in the actual fairy tale to my story, although you'll see where it changes soon enough. This is a pretty good chapter, better than some of my others.. Thanks to my lovely reviewers, I had enough motivation to get up and just write this chapter out of the blue.)

The King declared that the day of the twelfth's birth was to hence be known of The Day of Her Joyous Sacrifice. The Queen gave her very life, to bring another beautiful child into the world, and King Thirsh decided that the day would be a holiday, and that a statue was to be erected in the Royal Gardens, one of her in all of her queenly beauty and virtue.

Never the less, the baby princess was still a happy occasion to be about, despite the shadow of sadness that dwindled upon it. After the first week of the incident, the majority of the kingdom had gone back to some sense of normality.

However, all was not well for Princess Adelaide. She had refused to eat, and only ate when her father forced her to. Her servants were frantic, begging, pleading with the girl to eat something, a little something that would keep her body alive.

It wasn't until the 8th day of her hunger strike, that her father came to see her personally. "Adelaide, this has to stop." His voice was tired, weary, as if he had been awake for a very long time and never slept in his life. The princess decided that she had never seen her father look so old in her life.

His simple words and the begging look her father gave her was enough for Adelaide to eat once more. But no sooner did one problem leave, did another appear, and it seemed to her that her life was nothing but problems.

On the first day that Adelaide began eating again, Jason came to see her. "Adelle!" He cried, using his personal nickname for his friend. "You're never going to guess what happened."

She was silent, a slight nod of her head gave him the cue to continue. "Well, remember last year when I told you of that sorcerer that visited and lodged at my family's castle? Well, he has returned, and he told my parents that he would like to teach me his magic arts! Just think of that, Adelle! I'm going to go off and train with him, and when I come back, I'll be the first Mage King that my kingdom will have!"

At first, Adelaide was happy for her friend, overjoyed that he would go and do what he obviously wanted to do. But after a few minutes of his rambling on of the details, she realized what this truly meant. The only other person she thought she cared about in the world was leaving her.

When she rose to her feet, Jason was startled back into reality. "Adelle?" He asked, his brow knitting with concern. She shook his worry off with a movement of her head. "I'm feeling a bit ill, excuse me, please." Her excuse was not a complete lie, but her illness was not one that makes the body ache, but the heart and the soul.

  
Several weeks later, Jason left, without ever even saying goodbye to Adelaide. Her world was even more crushed than when her mother first died. Her life melted into pure protocol. She ate, slept, was taught in the finest arts, made public appearances, attended banquets.. The list was endless. She fulfilled her duty as crown princess with a fake smile and polite manners, and no one would believe that there was truly something wrong with her.

This continued for several years, until she was 15. It was then, that she discovered the wonders of the Underground World... 


	6. Tempting Fate

(Author's Note: This is one of my longest chapters, and believe me, it took me a while. This is one of the best chapters, in my opinion. Read, and enjoy!)

One night, the dream came. After another night of the restless balls and social events, Adelaide was exhausted and annoyed. So, after a nice relaxing bath, she had fallen asleep quite quickly. That was when it hit her.

She dreamed of seeing herself, dressed in her finest, moving to her bed and pressing the designs of the bed posts in a sequence. It was a very short dream, but it stuck with Adelaide. She woke up, finding it was the middle of the night.

Her eyes snapped quickly to the bedpost where she saw the designs. Somehow, she remembered the pattern exactly. She got out of bed, pulled on her robe, and tiptoed her way over to the bedpost. Trailing her fingers along the designs, she took a deep breath, then pressed the designs in the order she remembered.

There was a soft click, and an even softer sliding noise. She turned, staring, as where the carpet had been, there was now a set of stairs, leading down into.. Well, into who knows where!

She was stunned for a moment, but her curiosity got the better of her. Taking a candle from it's spot beside her bed, she lit it, and moved to the stairs. She stepped carefully down, glancing behind her. She saw the door shut behind her, and was panicked for a moment, but relaxed as she saw a matching design to the one on her bedpost near the top of the stairs.

She turned around, and stared at what she saw. The area was illuminated with the soft, pale glow that can only come from the moon. She was outside. Or at least, what appeared to be outside. A path led on as far as she could see, and there were wonderful trees bearing all sorts of fruit imaginable upon their leaves. Adelaide was tempted to pick some to eat, but her better judgement told her she shouldn't.

Carefully, she moved along the path, leaving her candle on the side of the road, so as she could make sure she went back in the right direction. Besides, the light of the moon was enough to see by, and Adelaide wanted her hands free in case she ran into something.

As she moved further along the path, things got a bit more interesting. Instead of the trees bearing every kind of luscious looking fruit, the trees were pure gold, glittering and shimmering in the moonlight. She traced her fingers down the bark of a tree, and determined that it was real gold. This place had made her even more curious, and she wanted to know what was at the end of this now.

She continued her pace, until she found another grove of trees, this one similar to the gold, only it was a pale silver. Once again, feeling the trunk and leaves, she determined that it was really silver.

Her pace quickened. The next grove, was glittering diamonds, more than she had ever seen, the trees were made out of them.. Giant diamonds, diamonds of different sizes.

The last grove was once more lush trees, except this time they bore gemstones of every kind instead of fruit. This amazing place was more than Adelaide could bare. She had to see the end of it.

Soon, her pace carried her to a river. It was too deep to cross on her own. She heaved a sigh as she glanced around, but it cut off as she noticed that there was a person. Finely dressed, he seemed to be a young lad of perhaps twelve or so. It was odd to see him here, but what was even odder, was that he had a boat.

Adelaide stared at him for a moment, but the boy simply seemed like he was waiting. Stepping towards him, she found her voice. "Would you carry me across?" The boy turned to look at her, slowly, and then he nodded, saying not a word.

She founds this odd, but stepped into the boat, taking a seat where she could see across the river. The boy began rowing, and Adelaide got a better view of across the river.

It was even more amazing than all the groves of jeweled trees and fruit. It seemed so unreal that she had to rub her eyes and pinch herself to make sure it was real. A pavilion of pure white marble lay, steps leading up to it, much like a dance floor. The trees and grass were as if they had never had a shortage of water or a disease, and had exactly the right growing conditions. Upon the pavilion of marble, was a table, filled with foods she had never even seen, but she was sure they would taste wonderful. There were two chairs at the table, but nothing else.

Once on the other side, Adelaide stepped out of the boat. Embarrassed that she was in her nightgown and robe, she approached carefully, glancing around. As she reached the pavilion, she stood in the center, gazing around at all the marvels. She could see the different trees across the river, and the amazing land on this side of the waters.

And then, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She felt herself gasp as she turned, but her breath was even more taken away when she saw the figure. He was stunning, the most handsome man she had ever seen. His hair was a dark black, the deepest shade she had ever seen, and his eyes were a beautiful blue. His features were the most clear cut and perfect features that she had ever seen, and he was dressed in garments suited to someone of the status of a prince.

"Welcome, Princess Adelaide. I hope you enjoy the surroundings?" His voice matched his exterior; perfect. Adelaide struggled to find her voice, her eyes never looking away from this stranger.

"It's beautiful here. Tell me, where are we, and who are you, exactly?" She tried to make her questions sound as polite as possible. She didn't want to be rude, as this place was amazing and her curiosity was the thing controlling her at the minute.

"You may call me Prince Virion, sweet lady, and this land is an enchantment I've created. I am under a spell, and cannot leave this place. However, I heard of your beauty and what an amazing woman you are, and I had to find a way to get you to come here, to see me. Thus, the dream you had." His words were soft, sweet on her ears, and Adelaide had no trouble believing him. Her simple nod urged him to continue.

"I wish, my lovely princess, that you could stay here tonight, but my enchantment is weak tonight, and I must urge you to get back. If you come again tomorrow night, sweet one, we will have a celebration in your honor." He paused for a moment, then continued. "You have eleven sisters, correct? It just so happens that I have eleven brothers, younger than I, that I would enjoy introducing to your sisters. Bring them here, for your celebration. I am sure they will get along well.."

Adelaide could not believe her luck. She smiled, looking to Virion. "I promise. I will return tomorrow, and I will try to bring my sisters with me." Once the words were out of her mouth, she felt Virion lips brush across hers in a light kiss. Her first kiss. "I will look forward to it, Adelaide.."

She only wished she could have stayed longer...


	7. Addictions

(Author's Note: Wow. This chapter took a while. I'm just getting back into the swing of things. Trying to do some more writing, maybe work on several fics at once. Anyways, enjoy this one, it took a lot out of me, and I just decided I aught to finish this chapter. I had about half of it done. Review away! Reviews always make me want to write more. Ideas are welcome, too. Things will really take off once the basic plot gets into swing. Uh, I think in the next couple of chapters, the basic Dancing Princesses plot will be wound up, and the REAL story will begin. Enjoy!)

Adelaide hasn't been close to her sisters, and so she wasn't just about to bring them to her wonderful underground world just quite yet. She would bring them later, when she was sure that they would not go tell anyone.

Her studies that day were impossibly long, so she faked illness to get out of them a few hours early. Skipping dinner, she locked the door to her room, staring through her gowns.

Running her fingers along the fabrics of her dresses, she pursed her lips as it seemed impossible to choose. She settled on a sea-green dress, one of her most elegant.

Adelaide was giddy as she dressed, for once, not having a servant in to help her. She couldn't risk anyone knowing, she didn't want to lose her perfect world.

She hurried, determined that Prince Virion would see her finest. The urge, the desire to see him had rooted itself deep within her being. She knew that she needed to do this, she knew that it would be alright.

When all things were well and done, the crown princess made her way into the Underground World. Settling into the boat, which she took no time to reach, she stared eagerly across the water, her hands idly smoothing out her dress in nervousness.

A smile reached across her lips, as the sight of Virion reached her eyes. She forced herself to take her time as she stepped off the boat, determined to be the most elegant and graceful thing that he had ever seen. Apparently, Adelaide's ideas were working. He seemed very impressed with her as he approached, taking her hand as she got off the boat.

"My lady, I hadn't dare hoped you would return, but it is obvious I have underestimated you." The way his lips moved entranced the princess, and she forced herself to stop staring.

"Prince Virion, I could dare not refuse your wonderful invitation." She was afraid her words would sound rushed, nervous, but if they did, Virion did not notice.

Gently taking her arm without another word, he escorted her to the table. She hid a gasp at the foods, so wonderful that she could hardly wait to taste them. Her stomach chose that moment to rumble, as if reminding the princess that she had indeed not eaten yet.

Virion laughed a little as he pulled out her chair, sitting her down. "Princess, do they not feed you at your palace? Please, I must insist. Eat! There is plenty, and I do not want anything to trouble you."

Adelaide smiled, watching as a footman served the food to them. Heaped with food, the plates seemed like they held so much more than they should. With a nod from Virion, the footman took the trays away, and left them to eat.

The food was amazing. Each bite seemed more delicious than the next, and she could not help but shut her eyes as she savored the food. After dinner, they danced.

Her heart raced, and her mind became blurred, her memories fading. The next thing she knew, she was hurrying back to her room, her dancing slippers worn out completely. Tossing them by the door, she fell into bed, completely exhausted.

  
For the next week, her pattern continued. However, her father grew very suspicious of her worn dancing slippers. Every night, after having bought her a new pair, he would find them worn in the morning.

Knowing that Adelaide would be overly cautious, he turned to his second oldest. Beliarosa was very close to her father, and despite her older sister's loathing of her, she very much respected Adelaide. She agreed to her father's wishes, but she was not about to hurt her sister.

For the next few days, Beliarosa acted her normal self, save for the fact that she watched her older sister closely. She was puzzled as to what Adelaide was doing. Her eating patterns began to change, she noticed. In the evenings, she would usually have a very light dinner, or no dinner at all, and breakfasts were light as well.

"My sister must be eating somewhere... But where?" Belia couldn't understand. "The only way. It's the only way. I have to follow her. I have to watch her."

The younger one did not realize what exactly she was getting into. As night drew around, Belia excused herself from dinner a little early, earlier than Adelaide. Creeping into her sister's room, she glanced at the new pair of dancing slippers their father had left at the door. Her gaze shifted about the room until it settled on the closet. Moving quickly, she tucked herself into the closet with the door slightly ajar so she could watch for her sister.

The minutes seemed like eternity for her, but finally, Belia saw the crown princess enter her bed chambers. Adelaide locked the door behind her quickly, and ran directly for the bath. Belia found herself sighing.

_Great._ She thought. _Now this'll take forever. But I suppose she does have to get ready for wherever it is she's sneaking off to. Father won't be happy. I wish I didn't have to tell him._

Another eternity passed before Adelaide emerged in a robe, her hair slightly damp. Scurrying for the closet, she flung the door open. Belia had barely enough time to shrink back so she wasn't seen.

Her heart pounded in her chest, and she was sure her sister would spot her. Belia could barely breath, and her only hope now was not to be seen. She didn't know how she'd explain this to her sister.

Adelaide moved through the dresses, frowning. "This'll never do. I need a new one. I'm getting tired of all these old ones..." Finally, the young woman settled on a silvery-gray silk dress, and proceeded to take it out. As she stepped away from the closet, Belia muffled her sigh of relief.

Adelaide's preparations continued until she had made herself as elegant as was possible at the moment. Belia grew quite impatient, but continued to watch from her hiding spot. Finally, Adelaide headed to her bedpost. Pressing the sequence of designs, the door in the floor opened for her. Beliarosa's eyes widened in surprise at this, and she leaned forward to get a better look.

Unfortunately, her balance was off. With a thump, the second oldest tumbled out of the closet. Adelaide looked up sharply, and stared at the intruding younger sister.

"Beliarosa!! What are you doing here?" The heir questioned in her most authoritative tone. But the younger one of the two sisters mustered up her courage.

"No, Adelaide. The more important question is what are _you_ doing." 


	8. Prophecy of Evil

(Author's Note: Sorry this is such a short chapter, but I felt I needed to get at least one in there, cause I've been so slow in getting them out. Been busy working on school and another fanfiction. Anyways, have fun reading! Soon enough there won't be the actual story left to go off of, and the real fun will begin. Also, after the core story finishes, each of the characters will be defined a bit more into detail, and you'll find out more about each sister, and what sort of person they'll turn out to be. Reviews are always nice! Thanks to all the reviewers. As with my other story, Dynasties, any new reviews get special author's mentions in the chapters. Thanks!)

The whole situation had Adelaide tensed. Everything could be ruined, everything! It was all her sister's fault. All her fault.

She knew she couldn't keep telling herself that, that things would be alright in the end, but her temporary anger got the better of her.

"That is none of your concern!" The elder sister shouted, her voice broken as she realized she was almost in tears.

Beliarosa softened. "Sister.. I did not mean to upset you. I am only worried. I mean, with the slippers and the not eating much and all..." The tone of her voice was sweet enough to calm even Adelaide's anger.

"Bella.." Her eyes were full with unshed tears. "It's just that I've found something wonderful... Somewhere where I am accepted as something other than just the heir. I'm special there... And it is the most wonderful place..." Her words suddenly grew serious. "Bella... Can I trust you to keep a secret?"

The simple nod from the Second Child was all it took. Adelaide hurried, preparing her sister for the beautiful world that she would be introduced to. Bella was as shocked as Adelaide was the first time, but comforted by her elder sister's boldness and the sheer splendor of the place, the two headed in to meet Prince Virion. Upon their arrival, Virion had a surprise.

"What an odd coincidence, sweet Adelle... I too have brought my younger sibling." Virion's perfect voice soothed Adelaide, enough so that she didn't even notice his use of the nickname Jason had given her.

The night passed with a blur, and soon the two princesses had returned to their chambers, and were promptly asleep as soon as they had changed to their clothes.

  
"But Virion, how will we get them to bring the other sisters? The prophecy cannot be fulfilled without all Twelve." The voice of the younger prince made Virion angry.

"Silence, Zeiwin. I got the Second to come, didn't I? Have patience in our power. It may be weak, but I've grasped the First... And my power grows more and more with each one. Soon, we will have them all, and we will be free from this terrible prison.. Free to roam as we once were. And we will rule, and kill, and feed off the blood of the innocents. And the Twelve will be of our kind.. We can be sure of that, once they are our brides." Virion grinned, glancing at the illusionary world around them.

He could see through it all, to the torment, to Hell. Hell where they were banished. His illusions allowed him to have a grasp on the mortal world. The Demonic Prince himself would not be able to leave until he and his eleven brothers had wives. And their wives must all be sisters.

This was why the Twelve were so important to them. The prophecy was drawing nearer. They had trapped two, and the rest would come. Such naive children they were, not to realize what was going on.

  
Adelaide pulled her sister aside one afternoon shortly after lessons. Lord Carnein had been lecturing about a particularly boring lesson, something or another about mythology and demons, and Adelaide had found herself falling asleep. However, last time that had happened... well, the repercussions of that weren't very nice, lets say. Lord Carnein had a way of keeping things from being fun, especially in terms of punishments. So, she had to keep awake, and her thoughts turned to Prince Virion.

As soon as the lecture was over, she politely excused herself and pulled Beliarosa aside.

"Bella, something has occurred to me. Virion once said he had eleven brothers, all younger than him," she began, prompting a nod of understanding from the Second. "So.. there's Twelve of us. Isn't that a little..."

"Strange?" Bella finished her sentence. "Yeah... I don't see why I didn't see it before..."

"We should bring the others!" 


	9. Fated Princesses

(Author's Note: This took me a long time to put up, but since I got sick, I had to write this. Thanks to all my lovely reviewers. You're giving me great ideas. I'm able to patch this thing all together, thanks to all of you. Anyways, enjoy this chapter. Also, to help you all to understand the story a bit, if you're interested, I have the list of all of the Princesses' names, the months they were born (in which I calculated it out so that each would be a different month but would still make it so they'd be as old as they needed to be), their personality/occupation they seem to be heading for, and the name of the Dark Prince that corresponds to them. If you're interested in me emailing you this information so things will be easier to read (even I refer to it from time to time to help me write!) feel free to send me an email at guardian_karisma@hotmail.com. Enjoy!)

Adelaide and Beliarosa were both quite intelligent, and their sharp wits quickly formed a plan. They both knew that they certainly couldn't introduce their tiniest sisters at the age they were. And so they made a pact, a pact to show them the world, one by one, a new one each year, as they turned 14, the age in which Adelaide had felt her life had changed. It was not the year that she had learned about the Underground World, but it was the hardest year of Adelaide's life.

Beliarosa herself was the first who had entered at age 14, and the two of them decided that it was a good age to start at. And so, they began to bring their sisters to the Underground World, the world in which they were blind to any thing bad coming from.

It started with the Third a year later, as Camelai turned 14. She had always been the shy one, a delicate flower that they all loved, especially Adelaide. She looked so much like their mother, and Adelaide was the one who felt her gone more than anyone else. She was happy when she was able to finally bring Camelai into the world. Even more amazing were her tapestries, her woven stories that seemed to come alive before their very eyes, and all of them looked forward to the next one, and Camelai would only let them see it when she was done. She was working to make sure everyone had their own, The sweet little thing did not even get startled at the world, but accepted it with a grace and calmness that made both Adelaide and Beliarosa wish that she was the Crown.

And it continued, next with Diamanta, the Dancer, they called her. For years, Diamanta had been absorbed into the world of music, dancing, dragging her younger sister Echo into it. Diamanta danced, and Echo sang. It only seemed right for the Twelve for the two to be together. They all considered them more of twins than just sisters, as they were almost never separated. When Diamanta went into the Underground World, she wanted to tell Echo, but she knew that the secret wasn't meant to get out. Her dancing from then on was changed. Echo easily saw the vigor in which she danced, as if all her dancing from before was just a mindless game, something to pass the time, and now, her dancing, was her soul.

When Echo came of age, Diamanta was the happiest of all. She, too changed from the shyer of the two, into a beautiful, cheerful singer, her captivating voice stunning anyone who heard her after that. All of the younger sisters were captivated by her, and each seemed to be waiting, waiting for their turn. The King merely passed it off as youthful hormones.

Adelaide had turned 19 by the time that Faylinn, the Sixth had come of age. Faylinn was the mothering one, and thought of all who came after her as her children, caring for them with a gentle touch and healing booboos with a light kiss from her lips. She was the healer of them, the one who seemed to make everything better, physically, mentally, spiritually. There wasn't much that Faylinn couldn't touch and make better, and Adelaide was sure that things would only get easier from there.

By the time Gaia had become of age, the rest of the youngers were as captivated of her as they were with Faylinn. Gaia was a weaver like Camelai, but her stories were woven by mouth and books rather than into cloth like her older sister. She was the storyteller, her imagination taking them, even the elders of the group into places they thought they'd never be able to explore, places where their worlds were filled with creatures of life only inside Gaia's head. Her stories weren't all lost, she wrote every one of them down into a faded book with blank pages that their Mother had left for her. She, like the others, seemed to change as she was introduced to this world. She had never dreamed up a world such as that and instantly, she was renewed with new sources of tales, wilder tales than before, ones that none of them would even be able to think of on their own, or even expect from their sister.

Helaine, the Eighth, was probably the most unique of all of them. When she was young, she was quiet, but not shy, preferring to keep to herself, her studies were intense, and the sisters all thought she would be a scholar. Things were not that way for young Helaine, though. Her heart was more spiritual, and her mind was set on becoming a priestess, something none of them had seen. She had a gift, a gift for seeing, and sometimes she would have glimpses of things, telling them only to Gaia, whom she confided in. Helaine was the least surprised by Gaia's stories, and yet, she could still see the differences in it from her visions, but she knew that her visions were an inspiration to Gaia's stories. When Gaia herself started coming back with her own stories, Helaine stopped telling her of the visions. The visions she was getting before the Underground World were far different from the ones she had told Gaia. Those ones.. were happy. The ones she saw now were dark, an evil presence foreboding, and Helaine told no one.

Helaine wasn't the only one interested in a different path. The strong-willed Isleta was not one to be left out. From the start, she knew what she wanted, as if Helaine had seen a vision and told her. She knew. Magic was in her blood, and Adelaide felt herself thinking of Jason. He had left to study magic a long time ago. She was 22 now, and he had been gone for at least 7 years now. She didn't want to lose someone else close to her, so Adelaide brought in tutors for Isleta, to train her in magic. Quickly, she surpassed even her tutors, who were astonished with her growing power.

Jianna was the next to come of age. She was the artist of the family, and somewhat picky. She only allowed herself to have the best of tools, and would often sit and sketch what she remembered of the Queen. Sometimes she found herself illustrating Gaia's stories, and would often sneak and slip the picture into Gaia's book, letting her be surprised the next time she looked through the stories, as she would find them living inside her book, not only in words.

Kairos seemed to be a late addition to the elder team of Diamanta and Echo. While Diamanta danced and Echo sang, Kairos played all manner of instruments: flutes, harps, lyres. Every instrument created seemed to be made to use by Kairos. Once she had learned the harp, she seemed to easily pick up on how the others were used, She created her own music, compiling the efforts of her sisters, and wrote poetic lyrics for Echo to sing with her pieces. Her music became astonishing when she finally was introduced to the World.

At last, Liana, the Twelth, was of age to join the rest of them in the World. She was different, and they were unsure of what really she was going to be. She had no specific talent like the rest of them, and seemed to take no interest in much of anything like her sisters. However, Helaine was certain there was something special. There had to be, she was the last of them, the Twelth. On the night before Liana's birthday, Helaine had found herself besieged with a dream, the first one that was not chaotic since she had come to the Underground World. It was strange, but she saw Liana curled up against the chest of a powerful scaly creature; a dragon.

As Liana finally was able to join the rest of them, the planning grew for the Dark Princes, planning for their wedding. And all the while, the King was frantic, wondering why now all of their slippers were worn from dancing.

Something had to be done, and the King had no idea what a mess this really was. 


	10. An Old Friend

(Author's Note: It's been a while since I updated. This is a filler chapter, sort of bridging things to the next chapter, which should be longer. Sorry that this one isn't longer.. But I appreciate if you're stll reading this! Enjoy!)

The low light of the fading fire wasn't enough to read by, and the young man in his study shouldn't have been reading in the dim light. In fact, as the light dwindled, the young man's right hand man pointed it out that he'd strain his eyes.

"Rhyd.. Will you at least tell me what you're even doing in here in the first place, other than playing nanny and telling me what I shouldn't do?"

"Sorry, my lord.. But it's true. Please, at least get the fire going again?"

"If I do will you tell me why you're in here desturbing my studies?"

"Of course, my lord."

The young man couldn't help but chuckle at that, throwing a log on the fire and working at it until the embers caught the log on fire and sent a crackling blaze dancing towards him. He moved back quickly, moving aside from the fire, the light much brighter now. Without hesitation, Rhyd spoke.

"My lord.. There's something you aught to know. About.. The Mastarian kingdom."

The young man's eyes lit up like the fire behind him. "I haven't heard about that place in a very long time. How are things there?"

Rhyd continued, his voice serious, yet, not quite answering the question. "King Thirsh has issued a... contest of sorts. Seems he's been having some sort of trouble with his daughers sneaking out--"

At this point, the young man burst out laughing. "Why am I not suprised?" The sound of Rhyd clearing his throat stopped the laughter, and allowed the man to continue.

"His daughters have been sneaking out, appearantly, to go dancing. He's spent a fortune replacing their dancing slippers, but they are completely worn out by morning. King Thirsh is tired of it, and is calling for anyone who can discover where they're going... and how exactly they're excaping their locked doors."

"So you're saying that all you've got to do to win this contest, is to discover where they're going and how they're sneaking out? Sounds easy. What's the prize?"

"One of the Twelve's hand in marriage. However, I'm afraid there's a catch."

"There always has to be one, doesn't there?" The young man sighed, but Rhyd continued.

"If you fail in this venture, the punishment is death."

The harsh words hit the young man like a ton of bricks. "So you're saying that I have the potential to win one of King Thirsh's daughter's hand in marriage... simply by risking my life to discover where they're sneaking out to?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Perfect! This is exactly the thing I need to test out my new abilities.."

"My lord, I'm all for testing your abilities, but is it necissary?"

"Of course. After all... it'll be nice to see Adelle again." The young man turned to his books, searching for a certain one. "Oh, and Rhyd? I'm going to need a good amount of cloth and some thread.."

Rhyd nodded, shaking his head at the young man. "Very well, Prince Jason... it is your funeral." With that, the prince's right hand man left, leaving Jason with his thoughts and schemes for winning that contest. 


	11. Tensions

(Author's Note: Whee! Things seem to be picking up. The actual fairy-tale this is based on is winding to a close, so I'll just have to see how things fly without their fairy-tale base when I get there. Anyways, thanks for all the wonderful reviews. Enjoy the chapter!)

Jason's trip to Castle Seress was uneventful, and he had taken the utmost care to disguise his identity. For the most part, he travelled under his newly sewn cloak. With every sitch, magic was sewn into the cloth, and Jason had been exhasted for days afterwards, yet, he had finally completed it, and the cloak was finished.

Jason couldn't help but admire it. An invisibility cloak took a lot of work, and he had completed it within only a month. With the cloak's hood over his head, he was unseen as he travelled, until he reached the city. At the gates, he no longer wore it. As he approached the gates, he was suprised that no one recognized him.

But this could turn out to be a good thing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Meals at the castle had grown into a silent, tense situation for all of the girls and their father. King Thirsh tried his best to get them to eat something, yet, every one of them picked at their food. And no one spoke. The whole situation terrified the servants, who tried their very best not to break the eerie silence that was the dining hall.

As one particularly nervous servant struggled to bring in a pitcher to refill drinks, his trembling hand sent the platter and pitcher clattering to the floor. The noise was welcome, and Adelaide finally had the courage to speak.

"Father, you know what you're doing is wrong."

"Adelaide, what I am doing is for your own safety. You obviously do not trust me enough to tell me what's going on, and therefore I believe I deserve the right to lock your door at night." Thirsh's voice was calm, as if he had thought of what he was going to say decades before he did.

"But Father, you can't offer us up as _prizes_! Surely we're worth more than that!" Beliarosa chimed in, her own courage growing.

King Thirsh let out a heavy sigh, glancing to his two eldest daughters. "No. I've done what I felt was right, and I'm not going to change my thoughts just because you don't like it."

The table was silent until finally another broke the silence. "May I please be excused?" Camelai glanced hopefully at her father, but the King's answer was cut off as the door opened.

"My Lord.." A page dashed up to Thirsh. "There's another for the contest." This prompted a sigh from all of the girls. Adelaide just rolled her eyes.

"Send him in."

With that, the page scurried out, and the room was even more silent than before as they waited for this new arrival. Stepping into the doorway, Adelaide realized who this man was before he was even announced.

"Prince Jason, Crown Prince to the throne of..." The rest of the page's announcement was a blur in the Princess' ears, and she felt her face grow hot in rage. _How dare he return after all this time._ She thought, staring at the man in the doorway.

Her father, however, was more receptive. "Prince Jason! It has been so long, how fares your kingdom? And your studies? Surely you haven't come for the content.."

Smiling grimly, Jason nodded. "They are well, but I'm afraid I have come for the contest." He moved towards the table where Thirsh was standing and the girls were still seated.

"I pray, for your sake, that you are the one to win this contest then." Thirsh said, swallowing visibly. "You.. understand the, er, parameters of the contest?"

Jason nodded again. "I'm aware of the death sentance. That doesn't change my plans a bit."

Adelaide glared in his direction. "But it certainly changes mine." She turned, a whirl of silks following her as she fled from the room in the direction of the gardens.

"It's nice to see you too, Adelle." Jason called after her, but there was no response.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The gardens always were beautiful in the evening, and tonight was no different. The moon and stars illuminated the pools that were artfully placed between rows of flowers, shrubs, and trees, all of which seemed to glow with unearthly beauty at night.

Adelaide found the garden soothing, and often her most difficult decisions were made with the water lillies for company. Seated by a shallow pool filled with fish, she trailed her fingers through the water, smiling faintly as some of the fish came up to try a nibble of her fingers.

Her reverie was broken as she heard Jason's voice again. "I thought you would've been a little happier seeing me again, Adelle."

She didn't look up from the pool. "Don't call me that. You are no longer my friend, and since you are not my friend, I must insist that you call me by my full name. Adelaide."

Jason winced. "Being a little harsh, aren't you?"

"I think I'm being quite rational for someone who was abandoned by her best friend when she needed him the most."

"Adelle, I told you that I had a great opportunity ahead of me and I couldn't pass it up."

"I told you not to call me that."

"Sorry."

Adelaide sighed, pulling her fingers from the fish and wiping them off lightly on the grass. "I don't understand why you came back, Jason."

Jason moved towards her. "I came for the contest. So I could marry you."

Her head snapped up at his words. "_Marry me_?! You think that I'm going to let myself be offered up as a prize to be won?"

Jason bit on his lip. "Adell--Adelaide, I didn't mean it like that, and you know it."

"I don't care! I don't care if you tell me you're in love with me a thousand times and that you'd do anything for me. Even if my father says I will, I won't just let myself be offered as a prize to be won! I'm tired of people running my life for me!"

"Adelaide, please!"

"I'm tired of people like you and my father trying to dominate me!" And once again, she fled, but this time to her room.

That night, both of them cried. 


	12. Faking Sick

(Author's Note: Boy, it's been a while, hasn't it? I'd like to thank all of my reviewers, and anyone who actually has read this far. This is my most successful story as of yet, and I'm really glad people are enjoying it. Anyways, here's another chapter for all of you who have been waiting.)

It was the first time Adelaide had ever missed attending the dance with Virion. As much as his company was desirable and she longed to be dancing in his arms, her mood had been spoilt by Jason's arrival.

Once the door that led from the main halls of the palace to the princesses' chambers was locked for the night by King Thirsh, the princesses rushed to get ready. Adelaide simply lay there, staring up at the lush canopy of her bed.

Tiptoeing into the room, Beliarosa blinked at her older sister's state of unreadiness. "Aren't you coming?" She asked, breaking the silence of the crown princess' chambers.

Adelaide's gaze lifted to the figure standing just inside the doorway. Though only a year younger than her, she was amazed by Beliarosa's youthful vigor. The flamboyant red dress she wore suited her, as well, with revealing cuts for better movement. She couldn't help but smile, wondering how any one person could be so strong, so willful, and yet so beautiful and innocent at the same time.

"I'm not going tonight, Belia." She murmured, her eyes going back to the bed's canopy, studying it's print as she tried to focus her thoughs on things other than Jason.

The younger of the two frowned, but nodded. "Alright. I'll send Virion your regards, alright?" Though Beliarosa looked like she was about to leave, her feet carried her to the side of her older sister's bed. "Adelaide.. are you sure that you're alright?" Tenderly, Beliarosa brushed a hand over Adelaide's cheek, and up to her forehead, checking for a tempature. "You feel fine.. but you look as if you've been crying. Are you sure you want to be alone? I could ask if one of the girls would stay with you."

Adelaide shook her head. "Belia, don't worry about it. I'll be alright. I just need to get a little extra sleep tonight. I'll be back on my feet and ready for twice as much tomorrow."

Beliarosa smiled reluctantly, but nodded, peeking back into the corrador between the princesses' chambers. "Girls! Time to go!"

The familiar rushes of silks and satins against each other filled the corrador as ten more girls shuffled into Adelaide's room. "Adelaide isn't feeling so well," Beliarosa explained, looking to the rest of the group as she took on her temporary role as leader, filling in for her sister. "So we'll just have to go have lots of fun for her." There was a murmur of consent, and Adeliade pressed the sequence, allowing the door to open to the Underground world.

Beliarosa led them down, the princesses following in chronological order, from oldest to youngest. As Liana stepped to follow the girls down, she paused, looking to her oldest sister. "Adelle," she said, having adopted Jason's pet name for her. "You're going to be alright, won't you?"

Adelaide couldn't help but smile at her youngest sister. "Yeah. I'll be just fine. Don't you worry about me. Go on and have fun with your Ruli." Liana hid her blush, then nodded. "Alright. Maybe we'll come back early so that you won't be so--" Adelaide grinned. "Get on out of here. Shoo! Don't let me put a damper on your good time."

Nodding, Liana moved for the stairs, but paused, a look of confusion and bewilderment crossing her features. Almost as if she had tasted something foul and had not been expecting it.

"Something the matter?" Adelaide asked, concern washing over her face. Liana shook her head quickly. "No.. It just felt like something flew past.. Like.. Like a ghost or something." Adelaide smiled. "You're just imagining it. Now go on."

Liana nodded once more, stepping down the passageway carefully, as Adelaide watched the door shut behind the youngest. Heaving a sigh, Adelaide moved to go prepare for bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Virion's brow wrinkled in concern as he watched Beliarosa. "Not feeling well? That isn't like her."

Beliarosa nodded, leaning against her own prince, Zeiwin, who kept an arm wrapped possessively around her. "I know. Even if she's not feeling so well, she usually loves to come down here."

Virion nodded, lost in thought as he watched his brother and his beloved's sister cuddling up to each other. "Did something happen to her, Beliarosa? Something stressful... maybe something out of the ordinary?"

Beliarosa paused for a moment, then her features sharpened visibly. "Oh!"

Both Virion and Zeiwin looked at her intently, chiming almost exactly at the same time. "What?"

Beliarosa couldn't help but smile, but nodded. "Something stressful did happen, now that you mention it. An old friend of Adelaide's came to visit."

Virion's expression darkened. "An old friend? What sort of old friend?"

Beliarosa grinned. "Oooh! I someone jealous?"

"Only if that 'friend' happens to be very close friends with Adelaide, and also happens to be male." Virion answered, staring at Beliarosa intently with a look that almost made her shiver.

"Relax." Zeiwin told his brother, moving behind Beliarosa and wrapping his arms around her. "She was only answering your question, you know."

Virion heaved a sigh, but nodded. "I'm sorry, Beliarosa. I'm just worried about her. Please, tell me more?"

Beliarosa nodded and continued. "His name is Jason. He's a prince from the nearby kingdom and has been friends with Adelaide for as long as I can remember... they used to play together, as children. If I recall correctly, he left sometime around the time that Adelaide first met you, Virion.."

If it were possible for Virion's dark expression to become darker, then it would have. "I see." Flashing a smile quickly to Beliarosa, he nodded. "I'm just sorry that she couldn't be here tonight. I had something special planned, but I'll just have to postpone it until tomorrow night and hope that she's alright by then."

Beliarosa nodded. "I'm sure she will be. She assured me that she only needed some rest and that she'd be fine."

Virion smiled again, then nodded. "That's wonderful. Beliarosa, you don't mind if I borrow my brother for a moment, do you?"

Zeiwin raised an eyebrow, but Beliarosa nodded. "Go right ahead."

  
  
  
Pulling his brother aside, Virion looked intently at Zeiwin. "You realize the severety of what Beliarosa just told us, don't you?"

Zeiwin shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't understand. What's going on?"

Virion took a breath. "Remember when I first created the portal? The negative energy that I fed off of to open it? The pain that I used to send Adelaide that dream so she would come here? That was Jason. Beliarosa said he left."

Zeiwin nodded. "So? What's your point?"

Virion frowned, annoyed at the fact that his brother just wasn't up to par with his level of genius. "Zeiwin, Jason meant enough to Adelaide for her to give off all that pain and negative energy when he left. Now that he's back... that is a risk that means Adelaide could still care enough about Jason to be pulled away from us. And we need _all_ twelve."

Zeiwin's expression turned grim. "You can't let her grow close to Jason. The longer he sticks around, the less of a chance we have of getting what we want."

"Exactly my point." Virion said, stroking his chin softly. "But things aren't so well between them right now. I can sense her anguish. Zeiwin, you need to be your most charming tonight. Tell the others to be so as well. We're speeding up the plan. We must get them closer than ever. Tomorrow night, we tell them. And in two nights... we will have a wedding, and the Twelve will be sealed to us forever." 


End file.
